Students of the Veterinary College in Hassan staged a protest on campus on Wednesday opposing the government’s move to open five new veterinary colleges in the State.
The students said instead of opening new colleges, the government should strengthen the existing ones. They also believe that with an increase in the number of colleges, graduates would have fewer job opportunities.
The students said till 2006, there were only two veterinary colleges in the State and two more were sanctioned in Shivamogga and Hassan to meet the demand for veterinarians. “Every year, 140 students come out of these two colleges. They are not getting employment opportunities with the government. When the graduates are not getting opportunities, what is the need for new colleges?” the students said in the press release.
The government recently issued an order to set up colleges in Gadag, Athani, Shira, Koppal and Puttur.
More than 900 graduates have been waiting for the recruitment notification for 650 posts vacant in the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department. In recent years, the cattle census has shown a decrease in the total number of cattle. “If this trend continues, there won’t be creation of posts in the coming years,” the release said.
Memorandum to Minister
In Shivamogga, a delegation of students pursuing B.V.Sc at the College of Veterinary Sciences here submitted a memorandum to Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture A. Manju, requesting the State government to not stablish new veterinary colleges.
Tejaswi B.M., a fourth year student, said the annual output from the veterinary colleges in Bengaluru, Bidar, Hassan and Shivamogga is 300. With the establishment of new colleges, it would go up to 700. However, he said, the job opportunities veterinary graduates is limited in private sector and establishment of new colleges would create unemployment.
Vilas B., another student, said the colleges in Hassan and Shivamogga lack basic infrastructure, resulting in delay in the sanctioning of recognition from the Veterinary Council of India. Instead of establishing new colleges, the government should accord priority to upgrade the existing colleges, he said.
Mr. Manju said the new colleges would be opened only after a scientific assessment of the requirement. He also said the government was committed to upgrading the existing colleges.
